I'm working with the cover school that my son graduated from.  They needed a coordinator in this area, so I came out of homeschool retirement.  I don't really think any homeschool parent ever totally retires anyway.

I had the opportunity to take a cake decorating course that covered a way of doing cakes commonly found in Australia, South Africa, and England.  It was a lot of fun and ended all too quickly.  Now, I've got to play with I've learned so I can make some money off it.

...How are your son & his family doing?

They are doing just fine.  We had lunch together after my class (Yes, I drove to Montgomery two Saturdays in a row to take it at 88 miles one way.) and I really enjoyed it.  Little is now old enough to remember me from the last time.  I was really tired of him being afraid of me when I came to visit.  I got to hold and play with him twice.  :)  Hard to believe he's working on his third year.

...I have been so busy with everyone else I haven't been keeping up with you. Sorry about that...

Forgiven...  As you can see, you're not alone on that getting busy. 

I've got 36 plants that need to be planted, plus four Confederate Roses which need to set roots before it gets cold.  They are interesting shrubs.  They bloom pink and as the flower ages it fades to white.  I don't think they grow anywhere else.  I don't remember them in TX anyway.  They had pansies, violas, and Sweet William on sale at the store I did my class at.  I had just spent time surfing the search results for pansies because I forgot which petals are purple and yellow.  I wanted to put them on a cake I was doing for a bridal shower.  Well, I saw pansies in colors I'd never seen before.  Then I went to the class and they were selling off a semi-trailer full of them.  Actually, they could have just brought the trailer and parked it across the street...

Well, talk care.  I'm laying low today.  Laptop just got on my lap, so I know he wants me to get dressed and take him out for a WALK.

... How is your search going for lost decendances?  I made some progress in contacting my dad's younger brother's family from his first marriage. 

I (Trudie) forgot about this.  I don't know how.  I got my dad's medals from WWII a while back and scanned them into my FTM files.  I remembered a picture that was in this huge mess of pictures that I took to MI to get Aunt D. to help me ID.  It is a picture of Macarthur.  There was no one else in the picture I recognized.  We thought then that Dad might have met General Macarthur.  Well, when I talked to Aunt D. about that and asked her more questions, she told me he had sent his mom pictures of him standing with a jeep with 5 stars on it.  Grandma took the pictures to get them copied and they "disappeared".  Dad had a medal from the Philippine Campaign (I think that is right.)  Ray being so into military (20 years in the Army can do that.) put 2 and 2 together.  My Dad possibly drove General McArthur around when he was in the service.  I don't know how to find out if that is true or not. 

We are experiencing a cold, wet and windy day.

...a cold, wet and windy day...

That is just a scout, there are worse to come.  We are still in Fall mode with temps dropping a little this weekend.  I don't mind.  I love MI, but I didn't move South because I like cold weather.

...I hope you didn't lose anything or were injured.

  My aunt lives in Jacksonville, Florida, she was up here in Michigan visiting her son when the last storm came through. She mentioned no damage was done. But the anxiety & worry of what might have happen to her home was of top priority...

It's hard to walk off and leave your home in God's hands.  I did so much prep that I really hacked off Ray.  He's such a mild mannered man, but I guess he took my prep as lack of faith.  I have to do what I do and then I know I've done all I can.  Then I can walk off and not be panicked.  I've done this three times now.  I have a wind chime hanging on our deck that was outside during Opal back in '96.  I secured everything that was outside.  As the wind was howling in the 107 year old house we went to because we were going to have a hurricane party/prayer fest, I remembered that wind chime was still hanging on the porch.  I asked God to keep it safe for me.  He did.

The Lord was gracious to both Missy and myself.  Missy had minor damage and I had none, except Ray's feelings, which I hope, are healed over by now.  I still have some things in storage because hurricane season isn't over.  I'm tired of the unsettling feeling of all of the storms that came in on us this year.  Yet, I know it's by God's grace we don't live like that all the time.  The earth could quake and we could have hurricanes continually. 

This was written in response to an email I wrote in answer to a post she wrote.  It may have been a prayer list or homeschool list, I don’t remember.  As always, only my name is used and any other names have been changed to protect the privacy of the author.

Thank you for the encouragement.   I need a job to work with a school schedule, pass all tests for school, get enough funding to go to school, get into school for the Jan. 2005 class (this will take a miracle as there are 7 on the waiting list now but I know God is able...the apt. I am in there were 10 ahead of me when letters were sent out none replied and the apartment was mine), I will be taking tests next week for school admittance and federal funding...I need brain power.  And I need to get over this whatever.  I have upper respiratory infection.  I am on meds for it.  Also I need, if I don't get a job right away to get unemployment and for ______'s not to blackball me to keep me from finding work.  I really need work close to my home as I have a really, really old car and with the gas prices too.  Thanks.... Sarah

I've been where you are.  It was different circumstances, but the thought process was the same.  Trudy’s Theme was adapted from an Email that was left lying on the kitchen table by my Daughter-in-law.  She had no idea what it would mean to me, but Jesus did.

As I forced myself to do those four things, sometimes with tears

Streaming down my face, slowly the darkness lifted.  May you also be

inspired by this verse.  Please feel free to rewrite it and rename

It, maybe Sarah’s Saying.

Jesus is right there with you, no matter how bad it looks and feels. He has a job for you to do.  It is there waiting for you to get to it.  He is already in your

tomorrow making a way for you.  Nothing that is happening is taking Him by surprise.

"Live in such a way, that when your feet hit the floor in the morning, the devil says, 'Oh, no, she's awake!'"

"When satan is knocking at your door, simply say, "Jesus, could you get that for me, please?!!!"

Love & Peace from Ozark, Alabama

@-}-}- Trudie L. & Laptop ^..^

           Trudie's Theme

Sing like only God can hear you!

Work like you're serving Jesus!

Love like you've never been hurt!

And dance like no one's watching!

http://www.asonshinebytrudie.com

Diplomas for Home School Graduates